SOUTH HADLEY, Mass. – Junior middle blocker Jules Augustine recorded a match-best 10 kills to lead Emerson College to a 3-0 (25-19, 25-20, 25-19) victory over Mount Holyoke College in New England Women's and Men's Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) volleyball action on Saturday afternoon.
With the win, the Lions move to 6-4 and 1-1 in conference play, while the Lyons of MHC are now 5-3 and 0-2 in the NEWMAC.
Augustine added two block solos and two block assists in the match, while first year outside hitter Fara Cohen (Morristown, N.J./Morristown) had eight kills, nine digs and a block assist. Middle blocker Annie Hall (Garden City, N.Y./Garden City) and outside hitter Elizabeth Reid (Charlottesville, Va./Charlottesville) – both juniors – each had six kills, while sophomore setter Elaine Nichols (Bountiful, Utah/Highland) recorded a match-best 28 assists.
For Mount Holyoke, senior captain and outside hitter Emma Sweeting (Hastings-on-Hudson, N.Y./Hastings) notched a match-high 10 kills and added seven digs and a service ace. First year middle hitter Sarah Caggiano (Leonardtown, Md./Leonardtown) had six kills, a dig and a block solo, while junior setter Natalie Lyon (Oakton, Va./Flint Hill School) had 25 assists and 11 digs with two service aces.
MHC held an early 7-6 advantage, but an attacking error made it a tie in the opening set. Emerson went ahead and later built up a 15-10 lead courtesy of a Hall kill, but a block assist from sophomore outside hitter Katrina Meserve (Falmouth, Maine/Falmouth) and first year middle hitter Jamesa Allen (Orlando, Fla./Lake Nona) pulled the Lyons to with one (17-16). The visitors went on to record five of the final seven points to close out the opening set.
The home team once again grabbed the lead to open set two, as a service ace from Lyon made it a 10-6 MHC lead. The score continued to remain close and following a kill from Augustine, MHC was able to record consecutive points, including a kill from Sweeting to make it a three-point score (19-16). Emerson once again found its way back, tying the score on a Hall kill and getting a pair of kills down the stretch from sophomore outside hitter Brittany Schoellkopf (Pacific Palisades, Calif./Pacific Palisades Charter) to close out the set.
Emerson jumped out quickly in the final set, leading by a 20-9 margin following a Nichols kill. The Lyons battled back, taking advantage of a number of errors and a kill from Allen to make it a 21-15 game. Despite pulling closer, MHC was unable to even the score despite a pair of kills from Sweeting down the stretch.
Prior to the contest, Mount Holyoke paid tribute to its senior class, including Sweeting, defensive specialist Kelsey Hutchinson (Dunstable, Mass./Lawrence Academy) and team manager/former player Annakate Schatz (New Haven, Conn./Wilbur Cross).
Both teams return to NEWMAC action on Tuesday as Mount Holyoke heads to MIT for a 7pm match, while Emerson plays host to WPI, also at 7pm.
